PTYS Chapter 95

Xiao Muyu listened, her face expressionless, but she couldn’t help averting her eyes, her throat moving slightly.

If she weren’t covered in injuries, Xiao Muyu would have slapped her.

Luckily, she could use the prop card now. She tore the gauze, soaked it in water, and cooled her back. Fortunately, there were no burns from direct flames; her back was very red but had no blisters.

“Delicate skin, obviously very pampered, where’s the toughness?” Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but mutter while treating her.

Although Shen Qingqiu could endure, she indeed had delicate skin. Even a little force would leave marks.

Since entering the dungeon, she had been injured numerous times, and it seemed she had not led a peaceful life before either, with many scars. This sight made Xiao Muyu’s heart feel clogged.

“So, you should pamper me more and not be so harsh with me.”

Xiao Muyu sighed, “If you weren’t so annoying, I wouldn’t be harsh with you.”

After tidying up, Shen Qingqiu got dressed and was about to leave but stopped when she glanced at the bathroom door.

“What’s this?”

Xiao Muyu’s eyes scanned and found dark red marks. Upon closer inspection, she whispered, “It looks like bloodstains.”

There were streaks and blotches, seemingly from scratching and impact.

“It’s not just bloodstains; there are faint footprints too,” Xiao Muyu added.

The material of the bathroom door was difficult to clean. Footprints could be wiped away somewhat, but heavier stains remained.

These footprints were dense, and the door was slightly deformed, indicating many frantic kicks.

Xiao Muyu’s expression turned serious. She could almost imagine the despair and frantic struggle of someone trapped inside.

Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian looked uneasy. Su Jin whispered, “We’re trying to clear these dungeons to survive, but what kind of mindset does the designer have?”

She felt each dungeon was extremely cruel to the players. A slight mistake could lead to a gruesome death.

“I used to think the game designer was a complete sociopath, a mentally disturbed person,” Su Jin continued. “But looking at these scenarios, it seems she wants to warn humanity, exposing some truly severe societal issues. These vengeful spirits are terrifying, but strictly speaking, they were more innocent than anyone here before they died.”

Zuo Tiantian also sighed. It wasn’t just her; Su Jin, Chen Kaijie, even Shen Qingqiu and Xiao Muyu felt the same.

“If it weren’t for the total death upon failure or the countless deadly traps in the game, the original design might be a wake-up call for society. But now, it seems more anti-social,” Shen Qingqiu added, sounding regretful.

“Congratulations to Xiao Muyu’s team for completing the hidden task—Who Is the Real Culprit, and obtaining the hidden item: Pursuing the Culprit Crematorium!”

Upon hearing this name, everyone twitched. Chen Kaijie complained, “I feel like the system is cursing us.”

Shen Qingqiu glanced at Xiao Muyu, her tone teasing, “As long as it’s not a wife-pursuing crematorium, there shouldn’t be a big problem.”

Xiao Muyu glanced at her, shaking her head, almost wanting to laugh. This person, what does she think about all day?

Meanwhile, Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian looked at them and started laughing.

Pursuing the Culprit Crematorium, rarity S, drops very rarely in Dungeon 004.

Item description: When a player is pursued, simply swipe the card behind to generate a 6-meter long, 3-meter wide sea of flames, trapping the pursuer in a crematorium for 4 minutes.

Note: Entering the fire will result in 4 minutes of intense burning for both humans and ghosts;
If outside, one cannot cross the fire and must find another way around. This card can be used once per dungeon, with four uses before it self-destructs.

“This prop card is quite powerful, but it’s a pity it only has four uses,” Zuo Tiantian said, her eyes gleaming. Such an area-of-effect skill, with indiscriminate damage, would be incredibly useful in group attacks.

However, Dungeon 004 was too unique, with many skills unusable, making their situation so difficult.

“Consider it some compensation. I really thought I was done for,” Chen Kaijie sighed, unable to see the situation outside, leaning against the wall.

“With Xiao Muyu here, how could you be done for? Let’s go down,” Shen Qingqiu said casually, her tone full of trust in Xiao Muyu.

Passing by the dormitory supervisor’s room, Shen Qingqiu was wary. She walked on the outermost side, signaling the others to stay back. She used a dagger to push open the window.

Seeing no one inside, the phone was still there, the screen frozen. The knitting needle had fallen to the ground, the yarn rolled far away.

Shen Qingqiu took a deep breath, scanning the room. She saw the dormitory supervisor lying on the ground, her head cracked, a pool of blood around her.

She briefly explained the situation to Xiao Muyu and the others, and they quickly went out to inform the school’s security. Soon, someone entered the dormitory and took the supervisor to the hospital.

As the quiet school became bustling again, Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu’s team found a quiet place to discuss the recent events. Although the key plot had been triggered, the progress hadn’t shown, indicating they still needed to sort things out.

Everyone had many questions. Once seated, Su Jin eagerly asked, “If the culprit isn’t Lin Xue, is it Liu Ya and Lin Xue together, or Liu Ya, Lin Xue, and the dormitory supervisor?”

Xiao Muyu didn’t keep them in suspense, “I filled in Liu Ya and Lin Xue.”

“But I remember you and Miss Shen verified Liu Ya’s identity that day. She wasn’t the culprit, right?” Zuo Tiantian was puzzled.

Shen Qingqiu had guessed Xiao Muyu’s answer. She recalled the event, frowning, “Could it be the system playing word games again? Liu Ya not being the culprit isn’t wrong, but according to the rule of no score for multiple answers, Liu Ya being the culprit is wrong, meaning she isn’t the culprit?”

Xiao Muyu nodded, “Yes, that’s what I thought, and the result proves it.”

“Damn!” Chen Kaijie couldn’t help but curse, “This is too frustrating, deliberately misleading us?”

Ordinary people wouldn’t link such a common prompt with the previous events, especially in that situation, with smoke and fire. They would have filled in Lin Xue.

Without Xiao Muyu, they would have been dead.

Thinking about it made Chen Kaijie’s back break out in a cold sweat, “I feel like the system wants us to fall into the trap.”

Listening to Chen Kaijie, a dark light flashed in Shen Qingqiu’s grey eyes. She bowed her head without speaking.

Xiao Muyu’s expression remained unchanged, seemingly unbothered. She continued analyzing, “Of course, judging Liu Ya as the culprit isn’t just this. We seem to have forgotten something. No matter who cursed Class Seven, the people in Class Seven wouldn’t know who it was because they all forgot about a deadly bullying incident in school.

In other words, unless they’re the culprit, they shouldn’t know about this.

But you said the reason for suspecting Lin Xue was because she was close to Liu Ya, who wouldn’t fear her.

That means Liu Ya knew Lin Xue was dead and knew she cursed Class Seven. So, whether she’s alive or dead, she can’t escape being the culprit.”

After Xiao Muyu finished, only Shen Qingqiu smiled at her. Zuo Tiantian, Su Jin, and Chen Kaijie were all in awe.

“I know Captain Xiao is smart, but every time you refresh my perception. This logic is flawless! We all knew, but we didn’t think of it,” Chen Kaijie marveled, laughing, “I’m a fake cop.”

“But what about the dormitory supervisor? Why didn’t you consider her at the time, and what about the tall mummy by the red-clothed ghost?” Zuo Tiantian had now excluded the dormitory supervisor because the real one was lying there. But back then, how did Xiao Muyu exclude that person obviously helping the ghost?

Xiao Muyu just smiled, “You actually know the answer.”

Su Jin nodded, “When she pushed me in, I was shocked, thinking the supervisor had turned into a ghost. But seeing her charred face, I ruled out the possibility of her being the supervisor.

Room 409 caught fire, the supervisor was on the first floor, it shouldn’t have burned her.

Even if she discovered the fire, she wouldn’t have fought it alone but called 119. She must have been the red-clothed ghost in disguise.”

“I thought about it, but I don’t understand why she disguised as the supervisor,” Zuo Tiantian was puzzled.

“It’s normal you didn’t know. Before we confirmed Room 409, Xiao Muyu and I talked to that supervisor.

When she opened the window and looked at us, her gaze was strange. When asked about the fire alarm, she said Room 409 was unoccupied and the alarm was broken.

That’s trivial, but she added, ‘It was mute when needed, now it’s blaring,’ implying she knew the alarm was broken, likely remembering the incident, so she was guiding us to Room 409.”

Hearing this, Shen Qingqiu was helpless, “I told you not to go in then, keeping a card up our sleeve, who knew it could be played this way?”

She smiled wryly at Xiao Muyu, “You’re good, you even made use of this.”

Her eyes sparkled with admiration. This wasn’t a premeditated action but an on-the-spot improvisation. That’s why when the mummy stood in front of Lin Xue, she grabbed Xiao Muyu’s hand and sensed her tension, making her feel secure.

That warmth and relaxation were real, without any fear.

Xiao Muyu smiled softly, “You don’t need to worry about me. I won’t let you down, and I also want you to survive.”